Method and machine for applying pour spouts to containers

ABSTRACT

A method and machine for applying an interconnected series of flat sheet-formed pour spouts with integral bands individually to a series of containers.

United States Patent 1 McArdle METHOD AND MACHINE FOR APPLYING POUR SPOUTS TO CONTAINERS [75] lnventor: Edward John McArdle, Morton Grove, lll.

[73] Assignee: Illinois Tool Works lnc.. Chicago.

Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 25, 1974 [21] Appl. No: 454,181

[52] U.S. Cl. 29/208 B, 29/413, 29/450 [51] Int. Cl... 823p 19/04, B23p 17/00, B23p 11/02 [58] Field of Search 29/208 B, 400 D, 413, 450;

[4 1 Jan. 28, 1975 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,673,663 7/I972 Tuddei 29/208 B 3.726.447 4/1973 Klygis 222/567 Primary Eruminw-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or FirmEdward L. Bcnno; Robert W. Beort [57] ABSTRACT A method and machine for applying an interconnected series of flat sheet-formed pour spouts with integral bands individually to a series of containers.

14 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEB JANZ 8 I975 SHEET 2 0F 8 FATENTED JANZ 8 I975 sum 6 or 8 PATENTED I 3.862.486

SHEET 8 BF 8 1 METHOD AND MACHINE FOR APPLYING POUR SPOUTS TO CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The subject invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying pour spouts of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,726,447 issued Apr. 10, I973, to M. Julius Klygis to containers and particularly containers such as cylindrical cans. Such pour spouts are formed from a resilient plastic sheet material and have side edges which converge from the base end to a pouring tip. An integral band is provided adjacent or contiguous to the base of the spout and when the integral'band is moved outwardly of the plane of the pour spout a container receiving aperture is formed between the base and the band. Before the subject invention such spouts having integral bands have been hand applied to appropriate containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates that pour spouts of the type shown in the noted patent to M. Julius Klygis be manufactured in a strip with adjacent spouts in the strip alternately aligned base-to-tip and with the contiguous side edges of adjacent spouts being interconnected by frangible connections. Such an arrangement of pour spouts may be conveniently punched or otherwise cut from a continuous strip of a suitable plastic material. The basic steps of the method of the subject invention involve the step of firmly holding together a container to which the spout is to be applied and the leading spout of the strip with the integral band of the spout positioned immediately axially outwardly of one end of the container; then while so firmly holding the container and spout together, and holding the next interconnected spout, drawing apart to separate the held can and spout from the remainder of the strip; then applying two holding forces on the band, one in an axial direction and the other in a radial direction; then moving the held can and spout in a direction substantially opposite to the radial band holding force until the band with the base of the spout is opened to the circumferential configuration at the end of the container; and then removing the axial holding force whereby the elasticity of the base and band of the spout causes the band to be drawn in a direction having a component axially of the container to leave the band holding force and grippingly encircle the container.

The basic method of the invention is performed in the machine embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings and described in detail hereinafter. The machine comprises a certain main rotating assembly on the periphery of which is a plurality of pockets. The containers are delivered to the pockets of the main assembly by another smaller rotating pocketed assembly. After delivery, the containers are held in the pockets of the main assembly by a fixed cam assembly. Contemporaneously with the feeding or delivery of the containers to the pockets of the main assembly a strip of interconnected spouts is also delivered to the main rotating assembly. The leading spout of the strip enters a pocket beneath the container delivered thereto. A certain cam operated brake assembly cooperates with the main ro tating assembly to intermittently hold the strip of spouts to cause spouts entering the pockets to be successively separated from the strip' of spouts as the main assembly rotates. The main rotating assembly further includes a plurality of shoes, one for each pocket and alternatively arranged on opposite sides of the assembly to conform with the alternate base-to-tip arrangement of the spouts in the strip. One end of each container is urged against one face of the shoe associated with the pocket in which the container is carried. The shoes are arranged to engage the integral container encircling band of the spouts in a direction radially outwardly of the machine. The radially outward edges of the shoes are shaped to substantially correspond to the outer semi-circumferential shape of the containers. The shoes also hold the bands against movement in a direction axially of the machine by virtue of a thin spring biased thin plate carried on each shoe. As the main rotating assembly rotates, the pockets with the containers and spouts therein are moved radially inwardly of the machine by the fixed cam assembly to cause the bands to be stretched about the radially outward edge of the shoes while the body or remainder of each of the spouts, and particularly the base, are caused to firmly conform to the circumferential shape of each container. As the movement of the pockets with the containers and spouts therein continues, a force having a component in the axial direction of each container develops at the connections of the band to the base of each spout. That force results in a tendency to pull the band onto and about the container. When a container is moved radially inwardly to the extent that the edge of the shoe engaging the band is substantially concentric with the radially outward semicircumferential surface of the container, the thin plate is removed from engagement with the band and that force will pull or snap the band from the shoe and circumferentially about the container. From that point in the operation of the machine the applying operation is completed and the container with with the spout applied thereto is further rotatively carried and discharged from the machine.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method and machine for applying flexible, resilient, sheet-formed pour spouts having integral container encircling bands to and about the outer surface of appropriate containers. Articles other than pour spouts, but having the same sheet-like formation with integral bands, also may be applied to containers with the method and machine of the subject invention.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon a perusal of the hereinafter following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of a portion of a strip of interconnected pour spouts of the type used in practicing the subject invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an appropriate container to which one of the pour spouts of FIG. 1 has been applied;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the container and pour spout arrangement of FIG. 2, but with the pour spout shown in the pouring position on the container;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the pour spout applying machine of the subject invention;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view, partially fragmentary, of the machine of FIG. 4 and viewed from the output end of the machine;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the machine shown in FIG. 4 and taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 4',

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the machine taken substantially along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partially cross sectional view in side elevation showing the container and spout inputs to the machine;

FIG. 9 is substantially a top plan view of the portion of the machine shown in FIG. 8; and

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are successive rotational views of a pocket and shoe of the machine showing the manner in which the parts are relatively moved to cause application of the spout to the container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows an interconnected series of flat sheet formed pour spouts 10 with integral bands. The individual spouts 10 are formed substantially as shown and described in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,726,447, which issued Apr. 10, 1973, to M. Julius Klygis. Each of the spouts 10 comprises a tip portion 11 and base portion 12 with the side edges 13 converging from the base portion 12 to the tip portion 11. Each spout 10 further comprises an integral container encircling band 14 which is arranged to be contiguous to the base portion 12 and has its ends connected to the junctions of the base portion 12 to the side edges 13. Lines 15 are indentations or score lines which enable the spout to readily assume the trough configuration shown in FIG. 3. In the preferred arrangement of the spouts 10 for the subject invention, a predetermined number of spouts may be conveniently punched or otherwise cut from a strip of a suitable resilient elastic plastic material as an interconnected series of spouts 10. One suitable plastic material is polyethylene. Adjacent spouts in the strip are positioned base-to-tip and frangible webs 16 between the side edges 13 of adjacent spouts 10 integrally interconnect the spouts in the strip.

After a spout 10 has been separated from the strip, it may be applied to an appropriate container such as the cylindrical can 20 of FIGS. 2 and 3 by moving the band 14 out of the plane of the remainder of the spout 10 to define a complete container encircling band between the band 14 and the base 12. In the mounted condition shown in FIG. 2, the container 20 with the spout l0 thereon may be conveniently stored prior to use. In use. the end of the container 20 adjacent the tip portion 11 of the spout 10 is opened and the spout is then slid overthe surface of the container 20 until the band 14 and base 12 reach the open end of the container as shown in FIG. 3. The contents of the container 20 may then be easily poured from the container with the contents flowing through the defined trough shape of the spout 10.

The machine of the subject invention which is shown in side elevational view in FIG. 4 has a gravity-feed input conveyor 22 at the upper input side of the machine and an output conveyor 23 at the lower opposite side ofthe machine. The strip of spouts 10 of FIG. I are conveniently supplied to the machine from a reel 24. The reel 24, which may be of any suitable construction known in the art, is rotatively carried on a stand 25. The strip of spouts 10 which is shown at 26 is led from the reel into the machine and through the feed rollers 27 and 28. An upper pocketed rotating assembly 29 receives and directs individual cans 20 into the machine. The gear 30 is connected to drive the assembly 29. The larger gear 31 is keyed to a shaft 32. The gear 31 drives the gear 30 and further rotates the other rotating parts of the machine. The gear 31 is driven in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 by the output gear of the speed reducer assembly 33. The output gear of the speed reducer 33 is shown at 34 in FIGS. 5 and 6. The speed reducer 33 is driven by an electric motor 35 which is mounted on top of the gear reducer 33. The output shaft of the electric motor 35 is provided with a drive pully 36 which can be seen in FIG. 4, and the input shaft of the speed reducer 33 is provided with an input pully 37. A conventional V-belt 38 mounted about the pulleys 36 and 37 extends the motor drive to speed reducer 33. The various above-described parts are operationally carried in proper cooperation by various support and frame members such as members 40, 41, 42 and 43.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the various other parts of the machine which are driven by the shaft 32. A relatively large pocketed assembly 44 is keyed on the shaft 32 to be rotated thereby. The end of the shaft 32 opposite that having the gear 31 is provided with a driving sprocket 45. The driving sprocket 45 is provided with a chain 46 for driving a smaller sprocket wheel 47. The sprocket wheel 47 is keyed to a shaft 48 to which another sprocket wheel 49 is also keyed. The shaft 48 is rotationally carried by a pair of spaced apart bearings which are mounted through the support members 40. The feed roller 28 is keyed on the central portion of the shaft 48 to be driven thereby. The feed roller 27, which is driven through surface contact with roller 28 is also rotationally carried by a pair of spaced apart bearings mounted on the support members 40.

The sprocket wheel 49 is provided with a chain 50 for driving a further sprocket 51. The sprocket 51 is keyed to a shaft 52. As may be seen in FIGS. 6 and 9. the shaft 52 is rotationally supported by suitable bearings mounted on the support member 40. A cam 53 is keyed to the other end of the shaft 52, as may be seen in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9. The cam 53 operates the mechanism shown in enlarged view in FIGS. 8 and 9 for intermittently braking the strip 26 to produce spout separation from the strip 26 in timed relation to the rotation of the pocketed assembly 44.

As shown in FIG. 6, the shaft 32 which drives the pocketed assembly 44 is journaled through a pair of spaced apart ball bearing sets 55. The ball bearing sets 55 are appropriately secured to frame members 56 which are secured between the upright frame members 41.

The pocketed assembly 44 comprises a wheel 60, the hub portion of which is keyed to the shaft 32, and a rim portion. A plurality of pocket assemblies 61 are carried on the rim portion of the wheel 60 to extend radially outwardly of the rim portion thereof. Each pocket assembly 61 comprises a lower plate 62, and a spout and container support plate 63. Adjacent pocket assemblies 61 are reversed end-to-end. The plate 63 is shaped to generally conform to the outer circumferential shape of the container 20 as shown in the end view of the plate 63 in FIG. 8. Each plate 62 is provided with a pair of rods 64 and 65 which are slidably received in the rim portion of the wheel 60 to permit the plate 62 to be moved radially outwardly and inwardly of the wheel 60.

The rod 64 is the main center rod for supporting the plate 62, and the rod 65 is a pilot rod which prevents rotation of the plate 62 about the axis of the rod 64. Each rod 65 is journaled through the plate 62 and is secured into the plate 63. Each pocket assembly 61 further includes a shouldered set screw 66 which is journaled through the plate 62 and threaded into plate 63. Springs 67 are disposed between the plates 62 and 63 to bias the plates 62 and 63 in a slightly spaced apart relationship as shown in all positions in FIG. 8 except immediately before the top position. Immediately before the top position, the plate 62 is forced or cammed upwardly a short distance by one of the rollers 68 which may be seen in FIGS. 6 and 8. ln forcing the plate 62 upwardly, the springs 67 are compressed to urge the plate 63, which carries a spout l0 and can 20, upwardly against the fixed cam assembly 70. The spout l0 and can 20 are thus firmly held between the plate 63 and the fixed cam 70. The timing of the machine is such that during the time the cam 53 operates the brake assembly, shown in enlarged views in FIGS. 8 and 9, to hold the strip 26 and as the assembly 44 rotates to carry a pocket assembly 61 to the top position, the spout therein is separated from the strip 26.

The fixed cam 70 which partially encircles the assembly 44, as may be seen in FIG. 7, is secured by suitable frame members to the frame of the machine. Although FIG. 5 shows the fixed cam 70 as a single member, the invention contemplates that it may comprise two or more parallel spaced apart members to engage the cams at spaced apart positions longitudinally of the cans or containers 20.

Each pocket assembly 61 further comprises a coiled spring 72 carried about the rod 64 and biasing the plate 62 radially outwardly of the wheel 60. The springs 67 exert a substantially greater spring-biasing force than the springs 72. I

Each pocket assembly 61 further comprises 'a shoe member 74 and a container positioning plate assembly 75. The shoe members 74 are secured to the sides of the rim of the wheel 60 by suitable fasteners such as fasteners 76. Each of the shoes 74 extends in a radial direction adjacent one end of its associated plates 62 and 63. Each shoe 74 is on the side of the wheel 60 opposite from the side of its associated plate 62 having the extended portion which engages one of the rollers 68 as may be seen in FIG. 6. The radially extending end of each shoe 74 is shaped to substantially conform to the outer semi-circumferential shape of the container 20. As the containers 20 shown with the present embodiment are cylindrical cans, the extending ends of the shoes 74 are substantially semi-circular.

Each shoe 74 carries a thin plate 76 which may be seen in FlGS. 8, 10, 11 and 12. Each plate 76 is mounted for limited radially outward and inward reciprocating movement on the inner side of the shoe 74 by two blocks 77 and 78 and two fasteners 80. The block 77 is mounted on the inner side of the plate 76 and is formed to have a horizontally extending flange and two threaded holes to receive the fasteners 80. The block 78 is mounted on the outer side of the shoe 74 and has two holes to receive the fasteners 80. The fasteners 80 extend through the block 78, through a vertically aligned slot 81 in the shoe 74, and into the block 77 to permit the plate 76 to radially reciprocate against the inner surface of the shoe 74 with the horizontal flange of the block 77 beneath the plate 62. A coiled spring 82 disposed between the block 78 and a block 83 fixed to the outer surface of each shoe 74 biases plate 76 to its radially outwardmost position. That position is shown in FIGS. 8 and 10. The function of the plates 76 is to enter between the base portion 12 and the band 14 of each spout 10 substantially at the top position of the shoes 74 as shown in FIG. 8 and to hold the band 14 over the upper semicircular surface of the shoes 74 as each can 20, spout 10, plate 63 and plate 62 is forced radially inwardly by the fixed cam 70 as the wheel is rotated. As the wheel 60 rotates a pocket assembly 61, and the can 20 and spout 10 carried therein. from the top position shown at 84 in FIG. 7 to about the position shown at 85, the fixed cam will urge that pocket assembly 61 radially inwardly to produce the relative movement between the described parts shown in FIGS. 10,11 and 12. As the container 20, spout 10, and plates 63 and 62 are moved radially inwardly of the wheel 60, the band 14 of the spout 10 is drawn into the semicircular shape of the can 20, and as the radially outward surface of the can 20 approaches concentricity with the radially outward surface of the shoe 74, the plate 62 engages the horizontal flange on the block 77 to force the plate 76 radially inwardly until, as shown in FIG. 12, the plate 76 no longer holds the band 14. At the position shown in FIG. 12 or at a slight further radial inward position of the can 20, the tension in the spout 10 will cause the band 14 to effectively snap off the shoe 74 and onto the can 20 to complete the assembly of the spout 10 on the can 20. When each pocket assembly 61 passes below the lower end of the fixed cam 70, the container 20 and assemblies spout 10 drops onto the output conveyor 23.

Each container positioning plate assembly operates to position a can 20 firmly against the oppositely disposed shoe 74. Each plate assembly 75 comprises an elongated plate, a coiled spring and a fastener. The elongated plate is mounted in a radially outwardly directed position between a bifurcated portion of the extending end of the plate 62. in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, one leg of the bifurcated portion has been removed to show the mounting arrangement. The fastener extends through a hole in the elongated plate and is threaded into the plate 62 with the coiled spring compressed between the elongated plate and the head of the fastener to bias the elongated plate against plate 62.

The upper inner surface of the elongated plate is beveled to engage and a direct container 20 deposited onto plate 63 against the oppositely disposed shoe 74.

The input feed mechanism 22 may be of any type known in the art. As shown in the drawings, the mechanism 22 gravity feeds cans 20 into the pocketed rotating assembly 29. If the containers 20 are printed and if it is desired to assemble the spouts l0 thereon in the same direction relative to the printing, the containers 20 in the feed mechanism 22 must be arranged in a reversed end-to-end arrangement of adjacent containers 20. As the containers 20 drop from the input mechanism 22, the containers roll on a guide rail into the pockets of the pocketed rotating assembly 29. The guide rail 90 which is shown as a single member in FIG. 9, may alternatively comprise a plurality of similarly formed members aligned in a parallel spaced apart relationship. The guide rail 90 is carried on a pair of rods 91. The rods 91 are secured between upright frame members 40 of the machine by a plurality of fasteners such as fasteners 92. e

The pocketed rotating assembly 29 comprises a wheel 93 secured on a shaft 94. The shaft 94'is rotatedly carried in bearing assemblies 95. The bearing assemblies 95 are mounted on the upper end of frame members 40 of the machine as may be seen in FIG. 6. One extending end of the shaft 94 carries the gear 30 which has been previously described as driven by the gear 31 which rotates the large pocketed assembly 44.

The wheel 93 includes a pair of circular pocketed plates 96 secured on each side thereof. Each pocket of the pocketed plates 96 is provided with an angle block 97 secured thereto and alternately arranged on opposite sides of the wheel 93 circumferentially thereabout. The angle plates 97 cooperate with the pocketed assemblies 61 of the large pocketed assembly 44 to align each container toward a container position plate assembly 75 to insure reception of the container 20 in a pocketed assembly 61 inwardly of the thin plate 76. The biasing forces of the angle plates 97 is less than that of the container positioning plate assemblies 75 so that as a container 20 is received in a pocketed assembly 61, the container positioning plate 75 of that pocketed assembly will urge the end of the container 20 against the thin plate 76.

Before a container 20 is deposited onto a pocketed assembly 61, the spout strip 26 is fed over the plate 63 of a pocketed assembly 61 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. As the spout strip 26 is advanced through the feed rolls 27 and 28, the strip 26 passes over a flat plate 100. The plate 100 is secured between the frame members 40 of the machine. A brake mechanism mounted above the plate 100 cooperates with the spout strip 26 in timed relationship to the operation of the machine to brake the spout strip 26 against the upper surface of the plate 100.

The brake mechanism comprises a pair of brake levers 101, a shaft 102, a shaft 103, a pair of coiled springs 104, and a rod 105. The shaft 102 is secured to plate 90 to extend outwardly from each side thereof as may be seen in FIG. 9. Each of the brake levers 101 is pivotedly mounted intermediate its ends on one end of the shaft 102. The rearward ends of the brake levers 101 are rigidly secured together by the shaft 103 extending therebetween and secured by appropriate fasteners. The rearward end of one of the brake levers 101 is deposited immediately beneath the cam 53 so that as the cam 53 rotates, the brake levers 101 are caused to pivot about the axis of the shaft 102 to raise and lower the forward ends of the brake levers 101. The under side of the forward ends of the brake levers 101 cooperate with the side marginal edge portions of the spout strip 26 so that when the forward ends of the brake levers 101 are projected downwardly, the spout strip 26 is braked against the plate 100, and when the forward ends of those brake levers 101 are raised, the spout strip 26 may freely pass over the plate 100.

The shaft 103 which interconnects the rearward ends of the brake levers 101 passes through a slot 106 in plate 90. The shaft 105 is secured through the plate 90 above the slot 106 therein. Each of the coiled springs 104 is hooked at one end thereof about the shaft 103 and at the other end thereof about the shaft 105 to spring bias the rearward ends of the brake levers 101 upwardly against the cam 53. ln operation. the brake assembly for the spout strip 26 operates for a short interval of time to hold the spout strip 26 therein while the leading spout in a pocketed assembly 61 moves to the top position such as shown in FIG. 8. The brake mechanism is then released and the feed rollers 27 and 28 will then feed the next leading spout 10 of the spout strip 26 over the pocketed assembly 61 which is approaching the top position as may be seen in FlG. 8.

Having described one embodiment of the invention. it is to be understood that changes can be made in the described embodiment by a person skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims.

1 claim:

1. ln a machine for applying an article to a container in which the article is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof. a member having a pocket at one end thereof, means for delivering an article into said pocket with one side of said body portion thereof in engagement with said pocket, means for delivering a container to said pocket onto the other side of said body portion and immediately adjacent to said integral band of said article. a band engaging assembly mounted adjacent said member and engaging said integral band of said article on the same side of said article as said one side of said body portion of said article, means for moving said container, said body portion of said article and said member together as a unit relative to said band engaging assembly and said band in opposite directions to a position at which said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to said opposite directions and over said container by forces in said direction produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band of said article in said position.

2. ln a machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said band engaging assembly includes means for preventing movement of said band in said direction and over said container before said container is substantially concentrically within said band.

3. In a machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said container is cylindrical, said pocket being shaped to define a concave surface substantially conforming to the cylindrical curvature of said container, and said band engaging assembly comprising a shoe plate having a semi-cylindrical surface engaging said integral band.

4. In a machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for preventing movement of said band in said direction and over said container comprises a holding plate disposed between said container and said shoe plate, means for projecting said holding plate between said band and said body portion before said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and means for moving said holding plate within the semicylindrical surface of said shoe plate substantially eontemporaneously with the movement of said container substantially concentrically within said band.

5. In a machine for applying a pour spout to a container in which the pour spout is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, a rotating member having an elongated container receiving pocket on the radially outward end thereof with the longitudinal axis of said pocket disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member, means for delivering a pour spout into said pocket with the body portion of said pour spout in said pocket and with said band disposed outwardly of said pocket in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said pocket, means for delivering a container to said pocket onto said body portion of said pour spout and with one end of said container immediately adjacent to said band with said band disposed outwardly of said container in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said pocket, a band engaging assembly mounted on said rotating member and engaging said band on the side thereof disposed radially inwardly of said rotating member, means for moving said pocket, said container and said body portion of said pour spout together as a unit relative to said band engaging assembly and said band in a direction radially inwardly of said rotating member to a position at which said one end of said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly and over said one end of said container in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member by forces in said direction produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band in said position.

6. In a machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said means for moving said pocket, said container and said body portion of said pour spout together as a unit comprises a spring means in said rotating member biasing said pocket in a radially outward direction, and a fixed cam mounted in said machine radially outwardly of said pocket and said container thereon, said fixed cam being shaped and positioned to engage the surface of said container on the radially outward side thereof and to urge said container, said body portion of said pour spout and said pocket radially inwardly of said rotating member against the bias of said spring means as said rotating member rotates.

7. In a machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said band engaging assembly includes means for preventing movement of said band over said one end of said container in said direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member before said container is substantially concentrically within said band.

8. In a machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said container is cylindrical in shape, said pocket being shaped to define a surface which is concave about the longitudinal axis of said pocket, said concave surface substantially conforming to the cylindrical curvature of said container, and said band engaging assembly comprising a shoe plate having a semicylindrical surface engaging said band.

9. ln a machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said means for preventing movement of said band over said one end of said container in said direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member comprises a holding plate disposed between said one end of said container and said shoe plate, means for projecting said holding plate radially outwardly of said shoe plate between said band and said body portion of said pour spout before said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and means for moving said holding plate radially within the semicylindrical surface of said shoe plate substantially contemporaneously with the movement of said container substantially concentrically within said band.

10. [n a machine as defined in claim 9, wherein the radially outward end of said holding plate is substantially semicircular in shape substantially conforming to the shape of said semicylindrical surface of said shoe plate.

11. In a machine for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers in which the series of pour spouts is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a series of interconnected pour spouts, each of said pour spouts comprising a body portion having side edges converging from the base thereof to the tip thereof and having an integral coplanar band contiguous with said base of said body portion, said pour spouts arranged in an alternately reversed tip-to-base arrangement with the side walls of adjacent pour spouts being interconnected by frangible webs, a rotating wheel having elongated container receiving pockets mounted circumferentially thereabout with the longitudinal axes of said pockets disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating wheel, means for feeding said series of pour spouts substantially tangentially to said wheel with the leading pour spout being deposited into one of said pockets, means for delivering the lead container of said series of containers into said pocket in which said leading pour spout has been deposited and onto the body portion of said leading pour spout, means for firmly urging said lead container against said leading pour spout, means for momentarily braking the next adjacent pour spout to said leading pour spout in said series of pour spouts to cause a separation of said leading pour spout from said next adjacent pour spout as said wheel rotates, and means carried on said wheel for engaging said band of said leading pour spout and applying said band over one end of said leading container.

12. In a machine for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers as defined in claim 11, wherein last mentioned means comprises a band engaging assembly mounted on said wheel at one end of said one of said pockets and engaging said band on the side thereof radially inward of said wheel, cam means fixedly mounted in said machine immediately radially out ward of said wheel, spring means in said wheel for spring biasing said one of said pockets in a radially outward direction, said cam means being shaped to engage the radially outward surface of said lead container to urge said lead container, said body portion of said leading pour spout and said one of said pockets radially inwardly of said wheel against the bias of said spring means to move said lead container substantially concentrically within said band on said band engaging assembly as said wheel rotates, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly and over said container by forces produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band of said leading spout when said lead container is substantially concentrically within said band.

13. in a method for applying an article to a container in which the article is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, the steps of holding said body portion of said article against one side of said container with one end of said container immediately adjacent to said integral band, applying a stretching force to said band in a direction parallel and immediately adjacent to the plane of said one end of said container. continuing said stretching movement until said one end of said container is substantially concentrically within said stretched band,

and permitting said band to move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of stretching of said band when said container is in said position concentrically within said band.

14. In a method for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers in which the series of pour spouts is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a plurality of pour spouts connected at the adjacent side edges thereof by frangible webs, each of said pour spouts comprising a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, the steps of applying one of said containers on the body portion of the leading pour spout of said series of pour spouts with one end of said container immediately adjacent to the band of said leading pour spout,

firmly holding said container and said body portion together and contemporaneously holding the next interconnected pour spout, drawing said held container and body portion away from said held next interconnected pour spout to fracture the frangible webs therebetween, applying a holding force to said band in a direction diametrically across said one end of said container, then moving said held container and body portion in the opposite direction to said band holding force until said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and permitting said band to move from said hand holding force and over said one end of said container responsive to stretching forces produced in said pour spout between said body portion and said band.

* x a m 

1. In a machine for applying an article to a container in which the article is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, a member having a pocket at one end thereof, means for delivering an article into said pocket with one side of said body portion thereof in engagement with said pocket, means for delivering a container to said pocket onto the other side of said body portion and immediately adjacent to said integral band of said article, a band engaging assembly mounted adjacent said member and engaging said integral band of said article on the same side of said article as said one side of said body portion of said article, means for moving said container, said body portion of said article and said member together as a unit relative to said band engaging assembly and said band in opposite directions to a position at which said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to said opposite directions and over said container by forces in said direction produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band of said article in said position.
 2. In a machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said band engaging assembly includes means for preventing movement of said band in said direction and over said container before said container is substantially concentrically within said band.
 3. In a machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said container is cylindrical, said pocket being shaped to define a concave surface substantially conforming to the cylindrical curvature of said container, and said band engaging assembly comprising a shoe plate having a semi-cylindrical surface engaging said integral band.
 4. In a machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for preventing movement of said band in said direction and over said container comprises a holding plate disposed between said container and said shoe plate, means for projecting said holding plate between said band and said body portion before said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and means for moving said holding plate within the semi-cylindrical surface of said shoe plate substantially contemporaneously with the movement of said container substantially concentrically within said band.
 5. In a machine for applying a pour spout to a container in which the pour spout is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereoF, a rotating member having an elongated container receiving pocket on the radially outward end thereof with the longitudinal axis of said pocket disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member, means for delivering a pour spout into said pocket with the body portion of said pour spout in said pocket and with said band disposed outwardly of said pocket in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said pocket, means for delivering a container to said pocket onto said body portion of said pour spout and with one end of said container immediately adjacent to said band with said band disposed outwardly of said container in the direction of said longitudinal axis of said pocket, a band engaging assembly mounted on said rotating member and engaging said band on the side thereof disposed radially inwardly of said rotating member, means for moving said pocket, said container and said body portion of said pour spout together as a unit relative to said band engaging assembly and said band in a direction radially inwardly of said rotating member to a position at which said one end of said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly and over said one end of said container in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member by forces in said direction produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band in said position.
 6. In a machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said means for moving said pocket, said container and said body portion of said pour spout together as a unit comprises a spring means in said rotating member biasing said pocket in a radially outward direction, and a fixed cam mounted in said machine radially outwardly of said pocket and said container thereon, said fixed cam being shaped and positioned to engage the surface of said container on the radially outward side thereof and to urge said container, said body portion of said pour spout and said pocket radially inwardly of said rotating member against the bias of said spring means as said rotating member rotates.
 7. In a machine as defined in claim 5, wherein said band engaging assembly includes means for preventing movement of said band over said one end of said container in said direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member before said container is substantially concentrically within said band.
 8. In a machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said container is cylindrical in shape, said pocket being shaped to define a surface which is concave about the longitudinal axis of said pocket, said concave surface substantially conforming to the cylindrical curvature of said container, and said band engaging assembly comprising a shoe plate having a semicylindrical surface engaging said band.
 9. In a machine as defined in claim 8, wherein said means for preventing movement of said band over said one end of said container in said direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating member comprises a holding plate disposed between said one end of said container and said shoe plate, means for projecting said holding plate radially outwardly of said shoe plate between said band and said body portion of said pour spout before said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and means for moving said holding plate radially within the semicylindrical surface of said shoe plate substantially contemporaneously with the movement of said container substantially concentrically within said band.
 10. In a machine as defined in claim 9, wherein the radially outward end of said holding plate is substantially semicircular in shape substantially conforming to the shape of said semicylindrical surface of said shoe plate.
 11. In a machine for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers in which the series of pour spouts is formed from a resilient deformable plastic shEet material and comprises a series of interconnected pour spouts, each of said pour spouts comprising a body portion having side edges converging from the base thereof to the tip thereof and having an integral coplanar band contiguous with said base of said body portion, said pour spouts arranged in an alternately reversed tip-to-base arrangement with the side walls of adjacent pour spouts being interconnected by frangible webs, a rotating wheel having elongated container receiving pockets mounted circumferentially thereabout with the longitudinal axes of said pockets disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotating wheel, means for feeding said series of pour spouts substantially tangentially to said wheel with the leading pour spout being deposited into one of said pockets, means for delivering the lead container of said series of containers into said pocket in which said leading pour spout has been deposited and onto the body portion of said leading pour spout, means for firmly urging said lead container against said leading pour spout, means for momentarily braking the next adjacent pour spout to said leading pour spout in said series of pour spouts to cause a separation of said leading pour spout from said next adjacent pour spout as said wheel rotates, and means carried on said wheel for engaging said band of said leading pour spout and applying said band over one end of said leading container.
 12. In a machine for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers as defined in claim 11, wherein last mentioned means comprises a band engaging assembly mounted on said wheel at one end of said one of said pockets and engaging said band on the side thereof radially inward of said wheel, cam means fixedly mounted in said machine immediately radially out ward of said wheel, spring means in said wheel for spring biasing said one of said pockets in a radially outward direction, said cam means being shaped to engage the radially outward surface of said lead container to urge said lead container, said body portion of said leading pour spout and said one of said pockets radially inwardly of said wheel against the bias of said spring means to move said lead container substantially concentrically within said band on said band engaging assembly as said wheel rotates, and said band engaging assembly being formed to permit said band to move from said assembly and over said container by forces produced by a stretched condition of said body portion and said band of said leading spout when said lead container is substantially concentrically within said band.
 13. In a method for applying an article to a container in which the article is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, the steps of holding said body portion of said article against one side of said container with one end of said container immediately adjacent to said integral band, applying a stretching force to said band in a direction parallel and immediately adjacent to the plane of said one end of said container, continuing said stretching movement until said one end of said container is substantially concentrically within said stretched band, and permitting said band to move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of stretching of said band when said container is in said position concentrically within said band.
 14. In a method for applying a series of pour spouts to a series of containers in which the series of pour spouts is formed from a resilient deformable plastic sheet material and comprises a plurality of pour spouts connected at the adjacent side edges thereof by frangible webs, each of said pour spouts comprising a body portion and an integral coplanar band at one end thereof, the steps of applying one of said containers on the body portion of the leading pour spout of said series of pour spouts with one end of said container immediately adjacent to the band of said leading pour spout, firMly holding said container and said body portion together and contemporaneously holding the next interconnected pour spout, drawing said held container and body portion away from said held next interconnected pour spout to fracture the frangible webs therebetween, applying a holding force to said band in a direction diametrically across said one end of said container, then moving said held container and body portion in the opposite direction to said band holding force until said container is substantially concentrically within said band, and permitting said band to move from said band holding force and over said one end of said container responsive to stretching forces produced in said pour spout between said body portion and said band. 